


December 13

by VR_Trakowski



Series: Advent 2015 [13]
Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Advent Calendar, And the rest of the Bolotnikov household while we're at it, F/M, Ficlet, Hanukkah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5421614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VR_Trakowski/pseuds/VR_Trakowski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinner at the Bolotnikovs'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	December 13

**Author's Note:**

> Explanation [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5333558).

Caine had been to the Bolotnikov house several times already, introduced as Jupiter’s boyfriend and subject to much scrutiny and suspicious looks before her family’s attention shifted in another direction.  He didn’t mind that, in fact he approved of it, but it was still difficult to sit at the table and pretend to be something he wasn’t.  Covert operations were not a Skyjacker’s strength.  

But Jupiter distracted them all as soon as she could, and the food was always excellent, and besides, Jupiter wanted him there.  It was his Queen’s desire--and beneath the instinct to obey was the absolute delight that his presence was important to her.  

For that, Caine would lie about anything.  

This time, though, Caine was greeted at the door with a smile and a murmured phrase he couldn’t quite make out despite his translator.  Everyone was dressed up, and candles lit the table.  The sense of celebration was strong in the air.  

Jupiter sat next to him at the table, patting his leg beneath the cloth when the meal began.  “Some of the food’s kind of weird,” she said quietly.  “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat more than a bite.”  

Caine just shook his head.  He would never insult his hosts so--and besides, there was very little food he _didn’t_ like, after surviving years on scraps and carrion in the Deadland.  

As Jupiter had said, there was no overt ceremony to the meal.  But the difference was palpable, everyone smiling at one another and smelling of goodwill.  The children didn’t tease each other, Vassily kept opening more wine, and Lyudmila refrained from belching.  

And this time when Aleksa insisted on refilling Caine’s plate for the third time, it felt less like a challenge and more like kindness.  

He didn’t know what it all _meant_ , precisely.  There was still so much he didn’t understand.  

But it felt good to be a part of it.  


End file.
